Spring 2015 - The HOPE Group

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The HOPE Group
Volume 33 Issue 1 – Spring 2015
A bi-annual Publication for Pregnancy and Infant Loss
rindyshope.org
Knitting Tree: A Tradition Rooted in Love
By HOPE Member, Brynna Ledyard
in memory of her daughter, Marlo
Each year, on my daughter Marlo’s birthday, family & friends gather in her garden to
spend the day together, brought there by her memory. Marlo came into the world on July
17, 2011. She was a big baby with lots of dark hair, and quite a healthy set of vocal
chords. In her first few days of life, she showed such character, such strength, such beauty; we were in love.
On her fourth day, after what had then become a routine feed & diaper change, Marlo laid in my lap, drifting off
to sleep. In those moments, Marlo took her last breaths, and succumbed to a stealthy, rare heart defect. It had
gone undetected throughout my entire pregnancy, as well as all those check-ups babies have in their first few
days. Despite every effort to revive her, Marlo left us, at just four days old. Our world was shattered. We fell
from the highest place of love and bliss, to the deepest depths of grief and shock, all within mere hours.
As we stumbled through the following months and the first year, we encountered the horrible phenomena that
all baby loss parents eventually suffer – we watched as the “novelty” of our daughter’s life and death wore off
for almost everyone we knew. While they seemed to forget and move on, we felt stuck in a dark place, alone
and trapped in our feelings of trauma and sadness. I longed to hear her beautiful name that we so carefully
chose for her, but no one ever said it. I wanted to talk about how sweet she was, how robust, the beauty of her
many expressions, but no one ever asked. It felt like her existence, her beautiful strong presence, her memory,
were all being washed away. Covered over. Forgotten.
That first year on her birthday, we did not do too much. We spent the day with a few close family members at
Marlo’s garden. We barbecued, had a few toasts, let go of some balloons, and what made me happiest was
not just remembering the joy she had brought us that wonderful day she was born, but to hear others speak
her name again, and express joy and sadness for her. THAT was something unusual, and so cathartic. It felt,
well – amazing. This was truly what it meant to keep a memory “alive”. The next year I vowed to figure out a
new way to honor her, to give others a reason to say her name, remember her, celebrate her. I wanted it to be
colorful, and creative.
I invited members of my family, friends, and other parents I had met in the baby loss world to submit a small
square made in remembrance of Marlo or, in the case of loss parents, something in remembrance of their own
baby(ies). The squares could be made out of anything – knitting, crochet, weaving, fabric collage, felt,
needlepoint, quilting, or salvage from fabric that held a special meaning. No special skills or talent were
required – just good will and good intentions. I planned to sew all the squares together, and display them in
Marlo’s garden on her birthday; kind of like “yarn-bombing”, or knitting graffiti. It was going to be a gesture of
love & creativity toward my beautiful daughter, and one of gratitude & remembrance toward all the different
contributors and their babies. I received over 200 squares that first year, from as far away as Ireland and
Holland, and as close as my next door neighbor. Participants ranged in age from 5 to 84 years old! And the
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best thing was, they had all sat down and created something out of love, thinking of Marlo and their own
babies. This made me so happy!
One mom sent me two delicate pink squares knitted from the same yarn she had used to make her own
daughter a hat before she was stillborn at 40 weeks. Someone else sent me a square cut from a onesy
intended for their newborn son who had died in the NICU, with his initials. One lovely woman sent me a square
knitted from yarn as white as snow, with three small bells attached -- one for each month that her best friend
had been pregnant before miscarrying. My own mom sent a square salvaged from a linen dishcloth
embroidered by my grandmother, Marlo’s great-grandmother! Every stitch of these pieces was imbued with
such love, empathy, and meaning. It was an honor to sew them all into panels and adorn Marlo’s Garden with
them in the strong summer sunshine that July.
The following year, I did it again, and received more amazing squares along with their stories of loss, hope,
triumph, despair, and, most of all -- love. All of these contributors were doing what I had wanted to do from the
first moment: talk about and show love for their babies – something we ALL feel the need to do. While they
were sewing, knitting, snipping -- perhaps someone asked them, what have you got there? .. Which brought
an answer and, hopefully, an opportunity to share memories and dreams of the child they don’t get to hold,
cherish, or even talk much about in the physical world. And, in the process, we created something beautiful
that will be here forever to commemorate them!
This year, we are doing it yet again. If you, or someone you know would like to make something for the
Knitting Tree, the 2015 crafting is already underway! There is a facebook page dedicated to the project
http://on.fb.me/18o9A7Y , as well as a how-to-participate video on YouTube http://bit.ly/1xnaUym . Or, of
course you can email me directly at knittingtree@hotmail.com, and I will send you the links & info. Make
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something for your baby, and send it in by June 15 , 2015. I promise you will be glad you did.
Father’s Day and Baby Loss
Helping Bereaved Fathers Cope with Loss
By Tara Shafer, Psychology Today
The German poet Friedrich Ruckert once wrote: “O you, refuge of your father/light of joy/extinguished all too
soon” in reference to the death of his child. Following the stillbirth of our son in 2005, my husband and I
wandered around in deep states of grief unable (or unwilling) to fully discuss what had happened when our
baby died. In a certain way, there was no more perfect mirror of the despair I felt then than Gavin, and I think
he probably felt similarly; it may have caused us to avoid one another. I am not sure. We have never really
discussed it.
Some very close and dear friends somehow managed to endure us during those early dark days and invited
us to dinner regularly. One night, in the car on the way home from their house I turned to Gavin and asked
how he could eat anything. I probably said this accusingly more than I meant to. I like to think I wasn’t that
angry then, but maybe I was. Gavin looked over and said, in an unbearably sad way, “I don’t know. I just eat
until I am kind of full and then I stop.” He looked bereft to me. I turned my face away and looked out into the
barren winter moon-swept night and focused on the backlit clouds hanging on that moon.
With Father’s Day upon us, it is time to speak to the unacknowledged grief of men who suffer baby loss.
If women feel alone in grief following the loss of a pregnancy or infant, the solitude of the father is both
palpable and largely unacknowledged. "Helping Men with the Trauma of Miscarriage," published
in Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice, Training in 2010, Mark Kiselica, Ph.D, and Martha Rinehart,
PhD examined the issue of men following baby loss and concluded that the fathers' grief was often dismissed
by others. In “Psychological Impact of Stillbirth on Fathers in the Subsequent Pregnancy and Puerperium,”
researchers found that following a stillbirth, men had elevated rates of anxiety and were at heightened risk
for PTSD, in much the same way as their female counterparts. Many fathers report wishing that they had had
more and better access to care.
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Speaking in broad generalities, there are a number of factors that may
influence how men seek support in grief and which conspire against them. In
a medical setting, for example, the health care is administered to the woman,
reinforcing the outmoded notion that men are necessarily peripheral to
pregnancy. Instead they are relegated to the distancing effect of phones,
forced to make arrangements, and “be supportive.”
But wait. Men are now expected to be far more involved in the day-to-day of
childrearing. The expectation that Dad will be absent from the delivery room,
opting instead to hand out cigars in the waiting room like Don Draper, now
seems patently ridiculous. The role of fathers has shifted over time. This
raises the question: why not allow men emotional space in pregnancy, as well as companion grief in
loss? While there is no one way to experience loss, and the spectrum of grief is complex, these men would do
well to receive support as they navigate and define their own experience. It is a mistake to paint the masculine
experience of loss with one broad stroke. This costs more than we know.
The assumption that men are peripheral to pregnancy may unravel rapidly, especially in situations of loss. We
have all heard it said that a woman becomes a mother when she discovers she is pregnant and a man
becomes a father when he holds his baby. I am not convinced that either one of these sayings is really all that
true, but if it is said enough times one grows complacent and believes some version of this.
Until. In an instant everything is gone.
Writes Return To Zero writer/director Sean Hanish, whose son was stillborn in 2005, “As a husband, a
partner, a man you are a passenger on the pregnancy express. You can look out the window and watch the
scenery go by, her belly grow, her skin glow, and if you’re lucky, catch your baby’s elbow as it presses against
her belly like the dorsal fin of some alien sea creature making it more real for you. But you’re not the engineer.
When the crash comes you are struggling with your own emotions, grief and loss, desolation anddepression,
and watching as your wife, your partner, your life jumps the tracks. Twisting metal tumbling out of control in
slow motion. Prepare for impact.”
I am reminded of a day several weeks or months after our loss when Gavin came home. He remarked that a
lot of people were asking how I was. We always took this beautiful gesture of concern in the spirit it was given
and were, in fact, deeply appreciative of these questions. But we did laugh ruefully (and just a little) at how
frequently Gavin was inadvertently left out of the equation, the expressions of concern.
On our website, Reconceiving Loss (www.reconceivingloss.com(link is external)) we collect the stories of loss
for the Return To Zero Project. This archive reflects, in part, the lonely experience of men. Artist Louis
Hemmings created a video, Goodbye, Au Revoir, Slan that shows the loss of his daughter decades ago
through the eyes of his young son. Other fathers have lent their experience to the archive and their words
reveal a well of sadness and loss.
As we approach Father’s Day, I call on women and men to support Baby Loss Dads (or dads who have lost
babies). We can begin by acknowledging their grief and understanding its nuance. We can remember to ask
how they are, not just about their wives or their partners. We can engage them in a dialogue that begins to
bear out the idea that we want to know how they are, how it feels to them to be missing something so central.
We can acknowledge the role of fathers in childrearing as post-traditional by re-enforcing that they share the
loss. This is the dialogue that creates healthier, happier families. And for the future of the men that we love,
this is what will be required.
Article published online for Psychology Today at
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/begin-again/201406/fathers-day-and-baby-loss-0
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Mother’s Day After Pregnancy Loss
Suggestions for Coping with the Emotional Stress on Mother’s Day
By Elizabeth Czukas @ About Health
No matter what kind of loss you’ve gone through, and whether or not you’ve got
other children at home, you’ve earned your right to recognize Mothers’ Day if you
want to. If you identify yourself as a mother, you’re a mother.
However, for some women, the title may be uncomfortable, and it’s all right not to
think of yourself as one. It’s perfectly OK if you want to ignore the holiday altogether. As with every aspect of
grieving, there is no right or wrong way to do anything. This is a deeply personal experience, and you need to
figure out what works for you.
There is so much guilt and uncertainty after a pregnancy loss. You can’t help wondering what you could have
done differently. Some women even wonder if their miscarriage means they weren’t meant to be a mother.
This is especially true for women who have had multiple losses without any living children. Talk to your doctor
about the causes of your loss, if they are known, and do your best to let feelings of guilt and self-blame go.
You have the right to recognize Mothers’ Day in any way you see fit. It could be hard, but you can make it
through.
How Do I Deal with Mothers’ Day?
The short answer is, anyway you want. There are a few key concepts to keep in mind, no matter how you
spend the actual holiday.
• Surround yourself with people who understand, and avoid those who have a habit of saying all the wrong
things.
• Express yourself. Find those trusted people who will listen understandingly while you express your feelings.
If you don’t have someone in your life you can trust with your feelings, writing a letter or journal entry is a
good way to let your feelings out.
• Expect the Unexpected. Emotions are unpredictable. No matter how you decide to spend Mothers’ Day, you
may find yourself experiencing all kinds of emotions you didn’t count on.
What Should I Do on the Actual Day?
• There are lots of wonderful ways to honor your baby’s memory, from planting a tree to creating a
scrapbook. Mothers’ Day could be a great time to do one of those activities.
• If you’ve joined a support group, or found friends in your social circle who have also gone through a
pregnancy loss, you could choose to spend the day together. Have a special meal, or do an activity
together. Whether your goal is to distract yourselves, or share your feelings in a safe outlet, women who
have been there could be just the right companions.
• Pick out a mother’s day card and address it to your baby. After all, it’s your baby who made you a mother,
right? If you’d like, you can attach it to a helium balloon and release it to the clouds.
• Spend the day with your own mom, your grandmother, or another special woman in your life.
• If you have other children, try to enjoy your time with them. Get them involved if you’re going to do
something special to remember your baby who died.
• Attend a religious service, and light a candle or ask for a special prayer for your baby.
• Volunteer. Whether you serve a meal at a soup kitchen, visit a nursing home, or help out at your church,
spending the day doing good for others can make you feel good about yourself, as well as keeping you
distracted.
• Indulge yourself with a special treat you don’t normally get. It could be as simple as a coffee drink, or as
extravagant as a spa treatment.
No matter how you spend the day, be kind to yourself. Give yourself time to experience all your emotions,
remember your baby, and feel the support of your trusted friends and family.
Article found online at http://miscarriage.about.com/od/copingwithmiscarriages/qt/Mothers-Day-AfterPregnancy-Loss.htm
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For Our First Born Son, Jamison John, “JJ”
By HOPE Member, John Paul “JP” Riggio
I think I lost my mind, I believe it’s with the heart I lost with you.
I think I lost my mind, I’m far from sane, I’m a delusional fool.
Because I think I lost my mind when I still think about you daily.
Yet, it seems so natural for me to think what my everyday life would be
to have our first born baby.
What sports would you be doing?
What parents would we’ve known?
The smile you would bring us every time you arrived back home.
It kills me now at five I haven’t had the time to watch you grow.
But I’ve watched you watch our family over time as it’s grown.
I watch you in the photos, see your smile and how it glows.
I hear your soft tone voice inside my ear while I write this poem.
As the wind blows outside, it’s a blizzard on your birthday.
I prayed for a sign and I wasn’t surprised how fast you heard me.
I miss you in the worst way.
I deserve you.
And you deserve me.
Our family remembers JJ, and today we celebrate.
So I think I lost my mind because today I kept it true.
We miss you everyday, but everyday, we’re still with you.
One 27 is a day that I give praise.
It’s a day that I reflect and at the end I maintain my faith.
Thank you Lord God Jesus Christ for my two healthy, happy babies
and my Beautiful Boy Jamison John!
Our Li’l Man! First Born Prince!
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Happy 5 Birthday Baby Big Brother!
Dear John, Angelina, Sweet Pea and Maria,
By HOPE Member, Nadia Purifory
I hope you can feel the love we have for you and all the hopes and dreams we had for you. It is so hard
sometimes to get through each day without you. Our only comfort is that you are together and also with all of
our loved ones who have gone before us. Please keep watching over us and helping us to get strong. We love
you our sweet babies..Mom, Dad, Sophia, Anthony, Carissa, Gianna, Nadia and Gabriella
My Angel
By HOPE Member, Eboni Goldsmith
in memory of her daughter Skylar Lilly
There’s a special angel in Heaven that is part of me.
It is not where I wanted her but where God wanted her to be.
She was here but just a moment like a nighttime shooting star
and though she is in Heaven she isn't very far.
She touched the hearts of many like only an angel can do.
I would’ve held her every minute if the end I only knew.
So I send this special message to the Heaven up above:
Please take care of my angel and send her all my love.
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Ask My Mom How She Is
Author Unknown
Submitted by HOPE member, Julie Paige
In memory of Chase David and Kenley Blake
For their 9th birthday 2/26/06.
My Mom, she tells a lot of lies,
She never did before
But from now until she dies,
She'll tell a whole lot more.
Ask my Mom how she is
And because she can't explain,
She will tell a little lie
because she can't describe the pain.
Ask my Mom how she is,
She'll say, "I'm alright."
If that's the truth, then tell me,
why does she cry each night ?
Ask my Mom how she is
She seems to cope so well,
She didn't have a choice you see,
Nor the strength to yell.
Ask my Mom how she is,
"I'm fine, I'm well, I'm coping."
For God's sake Mom, just tell the truth,
Just say your heart is broken.
She'll love me all her life
I loved her all of mine.
But if you ask her how she is,
She'll lie and say she's fine.
I am here in Heaven
I cannot hug from here.
If she lies to you don't listen
Hug her and hold her near.
On the day we meet again,
We'll smile and I'll be bold.
I'll say,
"You're lucky to get in here, Mom,
With all the lies you told!"
Approaching (and surviving) Mother’s Day
By Tara May, Ph. D. Clinical Psychologist
Such a loaded holiday. If you are reading this, then you are probably one of many who are struggling with this
upcoming Mother’s Day. You may be grieving the loss of your own mother. You may be struggling with
wanting a better relationship with her. You may be called on to be celebrating as a mother to living children
while remembering your nonliving children. You may be struggling with whether you are considered a mother
when you have been unable to conceive at all. You may be wondering how to get through this holiday when
the only children you have are no longer here to be mothered.
While many in our society won’t be thinking of you and your aching arms and heart, know that there are many
of us who have lost our innocence and will be thinking of you and our tragic predicaments.
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If you’ve embraced the dream and cared for your potential child through your own body, You are a mother. If
you’ve made heart-wrenching decision to hold your child through their last breath, you are a mother.
If you’ve made the ultimate sacrifice to spare your baby a life of trauma, You are a mother.
If you’ve held a baby in your womb, never to meet him/her, You are a mother.
If you’ve known the sweet tenderness of a living child who is no longer here, You are a mother.
Motherhood is many things and mostly it’s about love and for many, it’s about unthinkable loss, a shattering of
the heart and soul. You are not alone.
As you approach this Mother’s Day, here is some thing to consider to get you through. Do what resonates with
you and ignore the rest. May you find some peace and comfort.
Follow the Love. Surround yourself only with loving and supportive beings. Don’t waste your time with those
who won’t recognize the predicament that you face or who won’t help you feel loved and cherished. If your
own company is the most loving, then cherish yourself and your memories.
Create a Ritual. Rituals are a wonderful way to focus our memories and acknowledge what we are
grieving and honoring. You can light a candle, give yourself space to remember, paint, journal, release
balloons, butterflies, bubbles, create a real or imagined ceremony, decorate an item of your child’s or make
something using an object that you associate with your motherhood.
Ignore the “celebrations”. It may be just too hard to venture out of your house. That’s ok. Honor what you need
and set boundaries with those who have different expectations. They are not in your shoes.
Write a letter. Letter writing is a powerful way to get in touch with your experience and move through it. You
may address the letter to your own mother, yourself, or your living children or your deceased children. The
point is to give yourself the freedom to express whatever is in your heart without the burden of other’s
reactions.
Accept yourself. Accepting where you are today is important. Give yourself time and space to feel sad,
comfort, peace, anger, and whatever else is coming up. You may discover that you need extra support and
allow yourself to recognize that and find it.
Article found online at http://www.taramay.com/pregnancy-and-infant-loss/newsletters/may-2014-survivingmothers-day/
To Those Fresh in Grief
By Kristin Binder
I feel like there has been so.much.loss lately. It is almost too much to bear. You hear stories about soldiers in
war who have seen so many terrible things that they almost grow numb to the horrors they bear witness to.
That doesn’t happen here.
In this corner of the loss world, you never, ever grow numb. When you come across the story of a little one
who has died; when you see the pictures of their parents holding them and saying goodbye; or read (and can
relate to) a final post from a mother who realizes that the battle has been lost–there is no growing numb to
that. Empathy–it is both a gift and a burden. I cry for children I have never met. For loved little lives un-lived.
For the pain that their parents now face, and the tough journey that I know firsthand is ahead of them.
There are days when you almost have to step away because there is SO MUCH SADNESS AND GRIEF that
you forget the other side–the happy, blessed, sun-shining side of the world–even exists. You forget that most
children are born healthy. That they get to live full lives. Because it seems the deck is so stacked against
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them. You have to make a conscious effort to remember to celebrate. To remind yourself about the beauty.
And the good. Because the dark cloud of grief and loss is so vast that it can weigh you down. Why are so
many children born destined to die? Why are so many loved children lost? Why are so many loving parents
forced to walk the road of grief? Why? Why? Why? The injustice can be overwhelming. I was trying to think
of the right things to say to a friend whose baby just died, and went back to an email that I had sent to my
cousin when her daughter, Faith, died. I decided that I would share it with this friend, but also that I would
share it here. For what it’s worth. This is my advice to those fresh in grief. Some of this may be familiar to
those of you who have read my writing for a while.
All I can tell you are the few truths that I have learned on this journey. You will survive this. It may feel
impossible in the coming days and weeks but I promise you, you will. When you don’t know what else to do –
just keep breathing. Things don’t return to the way they were, but you will find joy again with time. Also know
that you and your husband will in all likelihood grieve differently. That is okay. There is no right or wrong way
to grieve, just hold onto the love you have for one another, the love that created the amazing life that was your
child, and you will come out on the other side of this stronger than you can imagine.
Laughter is not a betrayal to the child you lost, and tears are not a betrayal to those loved ones you still have
with you. Like the Bible says: “A time to weep and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance.” It
feels impossible but I promise you, you will dance again. And laugh. It took me eight months to even want to
go on living. Two years until I smiled on a regular basis. That was my timetable. Do what feels best for you.
Even having walked this road, I find myself at a loss tonight. All I can do is tell you guys how loved you are,
and direct as many prayers as I can from those I know in your direction.
My thoughts and my heart are with all who walk this road. Those who will start on this journey tomorrow. And
those who have come to a place where they can look back on the children they have lost with love, while
embracing the possibility of the joys yet to come.
Article found online at http://stillstandingmag.com/2014/01/fresh-grief/ and originally appeared on the
blog Once A Mother on November 14, 2011.
HOPE Donations
Thank you for your kindness and generosity. Your donation helps us continue Rindy’s mission of HOPE.
• Mallary, Gene and Justin Spirko in memory of their precious daughter, Mara Victoria
• Susan and Jim Kanak in memory of their nephew, Mark Edward Huebner
• John and Michelle Heafey in memory of their son, John William
• Sarah and Mike Garagliano in memory of their twin sons, Luke Blais and Jack Michael
• Cheryl and Jack Blaisdell, in memory of their twin grandsons, Luke Blais and Jack Michael Garagliano
• Keri and Andrew Byrne, in memory of Rindy Huebner
• The ACDK Hope Foundation, Julie Paige, Jeana Caterino, and Christine Boudreau, in memory of their
children Kenley and Chase Richardson, Anthony John Caterino, and Dakota Boudreau
• D. Allain and E. Feuer, in memory of their son, Davison Elias Allain
HOPE Miracles
We are all so blessed that more HOPE Miracles have been born healthy. Please join us in celebrating!
• Hannah Grace Pardo, daughter of Amy and Steve Pardo on February 21, 2015
• Tyler and Shane Heffernan, twin sons of Michelle and P.J. Heffernan on February 27, 2015
Announcements
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A HUGE thank you goes to our local printer, R.W. Traynham Printing in Billerica, MA for donating their
printing services for the newsletter and memorial service program. You touch the hearts of many with
your generosity. We will light a special candle for you and your mother Gilda on this upcoming Mothers’
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Day. Sending you wishes for peace and comfort. Love your friends at HOPE.
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NEW meeting location: 200 Unicorn Park Drive, First Floor Conference Room, Woburn, MA.
Thank you to our HOPE members for writing the “Our Babies Remembered” cards each month. You
touch the hearts of our members with your words of remembrance, warmth, and love. Rindy would be so
proud! If you are not on the OBR list and would like your baby remembered, please fill out the form in the
OBR section and send it to us.
The Edgartown Lighthouse Children’s Memorial on Martha’s Vineyard, is having a Ceremony of
Remembrance on Saturday, September 26, 2015 at 1 pm. All are welcome. New stones will be placed in
late spring, and the ceremony will honor these children and all of the children whose names are a part of
the Memorial. The Falmouth to Edgartown Ferry will bring you directly to the memorial lighthouse. For
more information call 508-627-4441.
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The A.C.D.K. Hope Foundation is having their 5 Annual Fundraiser on Saturday, October 10 at the
Burlington Legion. The event runs from 7 to 12 pm and features Jimmy Plunkett for entertainment.
Tickets will be on sale soon. “Like” them on Facebook for more information.
All HOPE donations should be mailed to The HOPE Group, c/o Dennis Huebner, Five Liberty Avenue,
Burlington, MA 01803.
Parent-to-Parent Hotline
Please contact us with any questions/concerns or if you are just having a bad day. We are here to help.
Billerica
Tewksbury
Burlington
Winchester
Boston
Donna McDonnell 1-978-376-1559 donnamcd@me.com
Christine Boudreau 1 -978-851-0411 kiffy66@verizon.net
Dominic Pazzia, Jr. (bilingual) 1-781-316-1570 domandjacki@rcn.com
Michelle Kingdon 1-781–756-0517 kgkingdon@yahoo.com
Barbara Clarke 1-617-413-2626 BarbaraEClarke@hotmail.com
Local Area Support Groups
Newton-Wellesley Hospital - Newton, MA Childbirth Loss Support Groups for families who have suffered the
death of a child before birth, at birth or shortly after birth. These meetings provide information, education,
resources and the support necessary to heal from the grief experience. The groups, led by a licensed social
worker, offer comfort and reassurance for both individuals and couples. For more information, call 617-2436221. - you call and then you get assigned to a specific group for the type of loss you may have experienced.
Brigham and Women's Hospital - Boston, MA Offers a four-session pregnancy and birth-loss support group.
For further information and group availability, call 617-732-5419 or visit www.brighamandwomens.org.
The Compassionate Friends assists families toward the resolution of grief following the death of a child and
provides information to help others be supportive. This national nonprofit, self-help support organization offers
friendship, understanding and hope to parents, grandparents and siblings. For more information, call toll-free
1-877-969-0010 or visit www.compassionatefriends.org.
RESOLVE New England - Waltham, MA Peer-led discussion group on pregnancy loss, offered periodically.
Pre-registration is recommended. For more information, email us or call 781-890-2250.
Salem Hospital/North Shore Medical Center - Salem, MA
A bereavement support group for couples who
have had a fetal or newborn loss. Meets the second Tuesday of the month, 7:00 - 8:00 pm. Contact us at 978354-3357 for more information.
HOPE at South Shore Hospital, Weymouth, MA., Pregnancy Loss Group meets 1st Wednesday of the month
at 7:00 p.m.; Pregnancy After a Loss Group meets the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7:00 p.m.; and a six
week closed group meets in a time limited format. Call 1-781-340-4177 for more information.
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Our Babies Remembered – A Loving Memorial in Print
To be added to the list of Our Babies Remembered AND to receive a remembrance card on your baby’s
anniversary, please complete this form and return it to Donna McDonnell, c/o the HOPE Group, 14
Blossom Drive, Billerica, MA 01821. Previously submitted forms will automatically be included.
Name:_______________________________________________Phone:_________________________
Address:____________________________________________________________________________
Baby’s name and date of birth:___________________________________________________________
Date of death (if different):_________________________Stillbirth____Miscarriage____Infant Death____
Other children and birthdates:____________________________________________________________
How did you learn about HOPE?_________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
03/04/93 Joseph Michael, son of Pat Urick-Zegas and Jeff Zegas; Potter’s Syndrome
03/05/98 Baby Hylan, baby of Lise Knakkergaard and Stephen Hylan; Miscarriage
03/06/88 Tabatha Karen, daughter of Charlene and Philippe Michaud; Heart defect, died 04/26/88
03/06/98 Caroline Therese, daughter of Ron and Mary Beth Arigo; Prematurity
03/08/98 Joshua Michael, son of Michael and Barbara Rigorda Eva; Failed c-section
03/10/05 Eve Valentine, daughter of Patricia and Richard Elliott; Stillborn
03/11/93 Sabina Hueniken, daughter of Henrike and Bill Huntress; Stillborn
03/15/05 Alexandra and William, twins of Allyson and Eric Crews; Stillborn
03/15/11 Ava Mae, daughter of Sarah Keller; Stillborn
03/16/95 Joseph, son of Patti and John Bohling; Stillborn
03/16/09 Braedon John, son of Jennifer and Chris Stover; Stillborn, cord accident
03/16/13 Theo Apostolos, son of Tia Joy; Stillborn
03/18/08 Anthony John “A.J.”, son of Jeana and Anthony Caterino; Stillborn
03/20/86 Jeffrey, son of Roz Past and Mark O’Brien; Stillborn
03/21/71 Gregg Edward, son of Charlotte Baker
03/22/00 Rachel, daughter of Lynne and Frank Barberian; Stillborn
02/26/92 John Michael, son of Mary Jean and Charles Lucas; Infant death 09/03/92, neo-natal depression
03/27/07 Nicholas, son of Lisa and Michael Murphy; Infant death 03/31/07
03/29/79 Helen, daughter of Janet and Jim Wander; Encephalic
03/30/12 Angelina Lee, daughter of Nadia and Kevin Purifory; Miscarriage
03/31/05 John, son of Bailey and John Paul Magazzu; Stillborn
04/06/59 Patrick, son of Jackie and Don Patterson; Stillborn
04/08/03 Kaitlyn Alexandra, daughter of Maureen and Kevin Kelly; Stillborn
04/11/01 John William, son of Michelle and Bill Heafey; Stillborn
04/18/89 Joseph Matthew, son of Linda and Pat Santerelli; Stillborn
04/19/12 Lyla May, daughter of P.J. and Michelle Heffernan; Infant death SIDS 08/07/12
04/22/88 Davison Elias (Davey), son of Elizabeth Feuer and David Allain; Prematurity
04/23/99 Baby Barstow, child of Deborah and David Barstow; Miscarriage
04/23/07 Baby Murphy, child of Poppy Hiser and Tim Folland; Stillborn
04/24/06 Baby Boudreau, daughter of Christine and Ernie Boudreau, Miscarriage
04/25/10 Nina Bosmajian, daughter of Andrea Meyer and Harlan Bosmajian; Stillborn
04/28/00 Katrina Joanne, daughter of Mark and Martha Tubinis; E-coli infection
04/29/07 MeeLa and EmeeL, twin daughter and son of Jackie and Eric D’Silva
04/30/06 Mary Alice, twin daughter of Will and Amanda Rogers; Infant death 05/01/06
04/30/06 Gloria Mary, twin daughter of Will and Amanda Rogers; Infant death 05/05/06
05/01/13 Jack Hunter, son of Elizabeth and Alex Henlin; Stillborn
05/02/84 Christine Marie, daughter of Michael and Karen Conrad; Trisomy 18, died 05/12/84
05/04/88 Michael, son of Maureen and Frank Blake; Stillborn
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05/06/78 Brian Jason, son of Art and Pam Bureau; Birth defects, died 05/07/78
05/09/93 Timothy Paul, son of Janice and Tim Coburn; Stillborn
05/12/96 Henry Russell, son of Dayle Ballentine and Larry Kotlikoff; Cord accident
05/13/05 Nina Lee and Natalya Lee, twin daughters of Leanne Carbone; Prematurity
05/14/91 David Louis, son of David and Pat Rizza; Stillborn
05/14/14 Chloe Marie, daughter of Justine Caron; Stillborn
05/15/06 Jacob, son of Sarah and Jason Cluggish; Stillborn
05/16/93 Samantha Amanda, daughter of Christine and Tony Silva; Stillborn
05/17/99 Elizabeth Clarke Capeci, daughter of Barbara Clarke and John Capeci; Infant death due to CMV, died 06/04/99
05/19/10 Mia Rose, daughter of Barbara Rose; Miscarriage
05/20/92 Patrick Charles, son of Sheila and Charles Greathead; Placenta abruption
05/20/98 Kymberly Elaine, daughter of Kathy and Brian Fuller; Stillborn
05/21/91 Matthew Eric, son of Alyssa Adams and Eric Kryzynski; Stillborn
05/22/97 Meredith, daughter of Craig and Ann Mercier; Stillborn
05/23/95 Charles Patric, son of Bill and Fran Koucky; E-coli infection
05/23/06 Madeleine Rae, daughter of Jennifer and David Symmes; Stillborn
05/25/99 Kiersten Bente Hylan, daughter of Lise Knakkergaard and Stephen Hylan; Prematurity
05/30/12 Sweet Pea, daughter of Nadia and Kevin Purifory; Miscarriage
05/30/58 Robert and David, twin sons of Jackie and Don Patterson; Prematurity, died 06/01/58 and 06/02/58 respectively
06/08/86 Michael Andrew, son of Judi and John Casey; Prematurity, died 12/30/86
06/10/93 Victoria Rose, daughter of Claudia and Brad Stearns; Miscarriage
06/13/01 Katherine, daughter of Sherrie and Michael Morey
06/13/05 Gordon David, son of Kristen and David Grein; Stillborn
06/15/89 Emily Anne, daughter of Mary and James Lyman; Stillborn
06/17/99 Matthew David, son of Risa and Albert Sablone; Infant death, incompetent cervix
06/22/98 Princess Herre Taylor, daughter of Carol Herre and David Taylor; Premature birth
06/23/99 Baby Bullion, baby of Lisa Bullion and Jeffrey; Miscarriage
06/24/95 Baby Kryzynski, baby of Shannon and Keith Kryzynski
06/27/06 Jack Andrew, son of Kristine and Neal McCuish; Infant death 06/28/06, cord accident
07/01/12 Rafael and Rosaura Freire, twin son and daughter of Norma Mendoza; Stillborn
07/01/05 Gianna Darlene, daughter of Jackie and Dominic Pazzia; Stillborn
07/02/87 Robin, son of Julie and George McHugh; Stillborn
07/02/88 Katie, daughter of Frank and Carol Ann Morse and triplet sister of Angela and Christina Morse; Infant death, prematurity
07/02/89 Julie Ann, daughter of Jim and Cindy Kane; Diaphragmatic hernia
07/04/91 Hannah Niles, daughter of Katrina and Rodney Niles; Stillborn
07/05/79 Adalyn Grace, daughter of Kasandra Nowalk; Stillborn
07/06/11 Andrew Tyler, son of Chad and Chrystal Klaahsen; Neonatal death
07/06/88 Angela and Christina, daughters of Carol Ann and Frank Morse and triplet sisters of Katie Morse
07/07/00 Kamimarie Williams, daughter of Judith Irene Belliveau; Infant death
07/07/03 Grace Ann, daughter of Sherrie and Michael Morey
07/08/94 Caroline Rachel, daughter of Claudia and Brad Stearns; Trisomy 18
07/08/95 Victoria Rose, daughter of Karen and Jim Hovsepian; Stillborn
07/08/06 Nathan Christopher, son of Kristine and Jeff Buckridge; Died 07/12/06 from a glycogen storage disease
07/09/83 Alison Doris Marie, daughter of Linda and Paul Giancola; Stillborn
07/12/05 Baby T, baby of Ruth and Chris Honor; Miscarriage
07/12/12 Donovyn Hugh, son of Amanda and Russell Bashford
07/16/83 Melissa and Emily, twin daughters of Lisa Rubenstein and Joe Scholl; Stillborn
07/16/11 Colin Shayne, son of Kellie and Chris Jenke; Stillborn
07/16/88 Emily Patricia, daughter of Sandra and Paul Larochelle; Stillborn
07/18/89 Grace, daughter of Charlene and Rick Williams; Stillborn
07/19/05 Jonathan, son of Mia and Louie Moran; Hospital negligence
07/20/95 Courtney Elizabeth, daughter of Kerry and Mark Ferreira; Prematurity
07/21/85 Jeffrey Vincent, son of Diane and Charlie Stefanelli; Died 11/19/85 from complication after heart surgery
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07/23/92 Joshua David, son of David and Beth Puleo; Stillborn
07/23/14 Michael Joseph, twin to Jessica Jeanne and son of Mary Ellen Murray; Infant Death
07/25/05 Silvia and Luca, twins of Monica and Ivan Pedruzzi; Prematurity
07/27/90 Stephen James, son of Richard and Elizabeth Sawicki; Placenta separation
07/28/84 Rebekah Janeen, daughter of David and Janeen Sencabaugh; Stillborn
08/02/10 James Patrick and Sandy Rose, twins of Janet Thompson; Neonatal death
08/03/14 Jessica Jeanne, twin to Michael Joseph and daughter of Mary Ellen Murray; Infant Death
08/05/82 Susan, daughter of Ann and Brian Power; Encephalic
08/08/97 Amanda Marie, daughter of Carla and Stephen Muse; Stillborn
08/11/09 Conleigh Rose, daughter of Glen and Kristen Sullivan; Died 08/15/09, delivery complications
08/13/02 Marc Vincent, son of Tracey and Marc Marano; Stillborn, true knot in cord
08/25/05 Baby Rooney, baby of Beth and Mickey Rooney; Miscarriage, due date 03/25/05
08/26/94 Samantha Marie, daughter of Dan and Loretta Ryan; Stillborn
08/27/82 Infant of Cary and Paul Sullivan; Miscarriage
08/28/82 Sara Beth, daughter of Fran and Frank Downing; Infant death 09/21/82
08/29/99 Allan Thomas, son of Joe-Ann and Tommy Palermo; Miscarriage
08/30/11 Declan Arthur, son of Jo-An and Al Gardner; Infant death 09/02/11
09/01/01 Casey and Dean, twin sons of Laurie and Larry Sweeney; Prematurity, cerclage attempt
09/02/82 Justin, son of Nancy and Gary Saffer; Stillborn
09/02/96 Emilee Anne, daughter of Debbie and David Seed; Died 09/20/04
09/06/80 Jonathan, son of Buster and Elsie Sieben; Died 09/07/80
09/11/04 Mackenzie, daughter of Krista and John Condon; Trisomy 13, died 09/24/04
09/11/01 Lucia Francesca Bastable, daughter of Gina Carme; Stillborn
09/11/10 Luke Blais and Jack Michael 09/13/10, twin sons of Sarah and Mike Garagliano, Infant Death
09/15/93 Jonathan Wesley, son of Courtney and Lori Heron; Stillborn
09/16/12 Iniya Somnath, child of Sunitha Somnath; Stillborn
09/19/84 Lowell, son of Charlie and Delores Salerno; Infant death
09/19/94 Shoshana Rae, daughter of Mona and Ron Tye; Stillborn
09/21/14 Baby J, child of Tia Joy; Miscarriage
09/21/92 Daniel Owen, son of Daniel and Ann Marie Wright; Stillborn
09/22/98 Angeline Kanokporn Lamothe, daughter of Kanokporn and David Lamothe; Stillborn
09/24/93 Kevin Michael Jr., son of Brenda Berube and Kevin McDonough; Potter’s Syndrome
09/25/94 Jeffrey Joseph, son of Maryanne and Billy Daniel; Stillborn
09/27/93 Laura Elizabeth, daughter of Billy and Mary Ann Salvucci; Stillborn
09/27/93 Stephanie Faith, daughter of Debi Austin and Steve Post; Heart defects, died 10/05/93
09/27/01 Olivia and Nicholas, twins of Lisa and Rick Bowman
c/o McDonnell
14 Blossom Drive
Billerica, MA 01821